


Loose Ends

by Persephoneshadow



Series: The Walk [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Merry Christmas, Timestamp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 17:10:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13128021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persephoneshadow/pseuds/Persephoneshadow
Summary: What comes next.





	Loose Ends

**Author's Note:**

> I promised you a timestamp in time for Christmas, and here it it. Unbeta'd so I'm sure the typos are myriad, but I have to head out the door to buy my final presents. This is a present for you, Dear readers, who have loved this story and want t know what the future held for these boys.   
> Merry Christmas!

 

Cas isn’t sure what he’s doing in the gym of East Lawrence High on a cold December night with parents and students milling around him. Dean looks just as uncertain. Dean at least has been to one of these before. Cas on the other hand has no idea what to do, and he feels like everyone in the building knows it.

“Dude, chill,” Dean says in his ear even as a well-coifed suburban mother gives them a side eye. “We just gotta find Sam’s teachers and hear how awesome he is and then done. Home in time or some of Bobby’s extra strength egg nog.”

“I still can’t believe Sam asked me to come.”

Dean gives him a fond ‘you’re an idiot’ smile, but Cas knows he was touched too. The easiest thing in the last year has been how the three of them, well four counting Bobby, have solidified into a family. It’s made the harder parts that much easier. Even so, it’s strange to Cas each time Sam asks him to take the place that a parent might. Coming to a track meet, or a school play was one thing and now conferences was another.

“I hope you boys are staying out of trouble.” They both turn to see the first familiar face of the night. Linda Tran looks as immaculate as usual as she pulls them both in for hugs.

“Hey, doc, you know the answer is no,” Dean smiles.

It was strange the first time they dropped of Sam at Kevin’s house for a study and D&D session to see Dean’s former doctor, and Cas’s former co-worker, but since then they’d grown closer. There were few non-white single mothers at ELH events, and even fewer gay couples, so they’d bonded with a few others in what Dean liked to call their island of misfit parents. It was a small group, and some of them had kids in the middle school, not the high, like Lisa Braeden, another single mom. She flirted shamelessly with Dean before she realized Cas was his boyfriend. Cas didn’t begrudge her, since Dean remains the most beautiful person in Kansas, if not the world in Cas’s estimation. Then there’s James Turner and his daughter Patience, son and granddaughter respectively of Cas’s old neighbor Missouri. Patience is smarter than Sam and a grade ahead, and who Sam aspires to be in most things.

And then there’s Cesar and Jesse. Their adopted daughter, Kaia, is in the same grade as Lisa’s boy ben. They’re the first couple Dean and Cas met aside from Gabe and Chuck and they’re frankly Cas’s heroes. And not just because they were there for them for their first pride (a very small event in Lawrence) but because of the advice they’ve given both Dean and Cas. Chuck has been helpful too, but it meant a lot to talk to other men who had been together so long. The first time Dean and Cas yelled – over money – they were there to smooth feathers and tell them to get their heads out of their asses.

“How is Kevin doing?” Cas asks when he’s released Linda from a hug.

“Oh, not bad. Still won’t admit he’s sick so the holiday break will be nice. The whole debate team has it after the trip. Can’t believe Sam didn’t get it,” Linda replies.

“I think he knows that he whined enough about going on that trip that I’d kill him myself if he ended up sick,” Dean says.

The trip was something they almost fought about, money again, but Dean had finally relented and let Cas chip in. He’s getting better about that, letting go of his pride and his justified issues regarding taking money from Cas. Cas usually wins those confrontations by making the point that the money he got from the sale of the house isn’t doing anything just sitting there. Sam helps with those arguments, when he hears them. Debate team and all.

“Well, break will be a good rest for Kevin,” Dean says.

“How is Kevin liking Charlie as a coach?” Cas asks. Charlie Bradbury is sadly not part of the island of misfit parents, but she has become a good friend since Sam’s custody was decided. In fact, her help through the trials and other legal hurdles had been invaluable. As had her lifetime being out and proud in conservative Kansas.

“He loves her. And are you really serious about letting the whole team join her for dress up? Linda asks.

“Hey, don’t knock the LARPing until you’ve tried it,” Dean grins.

“It’s…amusing,” Cas sighs then glances to Dean. “And the leather pants are flattering.”

Linda laughs heartily. Cas is still never sure about being public about affections, but he’s working on it.

“Have you heard from Anna at all? How’s Cleveland?” Linda asks.

“She’s enjoying it. The fellowship is very challenging,” Cas replies. Of all the upheaval of the last year, Anna’s exit from Kansas and his life had been the easiest. Maybe it was because how long he knew her, but after the divorce papers were signed, it was like he got an old friend back. They spoke on the phone and he, with Dean and Sam, had actually helped with packing up the house when she moved. Sometimes he misses her, but mostly he’s glad she’s happy.

There are still nights when Cas can’t sleep. When he stares out the window into the night sky and worries about death and what comes after, the future, the family that he misses. The same way he did with Anna there. The first time it happened he felt so guilty, because he thought he shouldn’t be sad at all now that he had Dean. It was Dean himself who explained, after a blow job and some coffee, that sometimes it’s alright to feel the bad things.

“That’s wonderful--”

“Winchester?” A confused voice calls into the crowd. Dean turns to see a harried-looking man with curly grey hair and a goatee.

“Present,” Dean says, raising a hand.

“Come on back,” the teacher says and leads them away from the crowd. “I’m Mr. Redfield, but the kids call me Donatello.”

“Like the ninja turtle?” Dean asks at the same time as Cas asks “Like the painter?”

Donatello turns and gives an easy shrug. “Whichever.”

They find themselves in an empty class room, with posters about different novels on the walls, all student made. Cas recognizes Sam’s poster for _Sidartha_ right by the front. He had very much enjoyed helping him with that.

“So, which is you is the brother and with is the husband?” Donatello asks as they sit down and Dean nearly falls out of the desk he found himself in.

“We’re not married,” Cas answers for them. “But Dean here is the brother.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. They way Sam talks about you, I thought you were,” Donatello smiles. “Now. Let’s talk about my favorite student.”

 

Cas isn’t sure which of them is more proud when they make it home. Sam’s reports were excellent and all his teachers had suggestions about college applications and such. When they reach the house the rainbow colored lights dangling from the gutters makes Cas grin anew. He can see their scraggly tree through the window, and it warms his heart. Sam and Bobby are watching _A Christmas Story_ when they get in, with Tori curled on the couch next to Sam.

This is home. And Cas loves it.

“Hey Cas! You got mail!” Sam says, springing up. Cas isn’t sure why that’s so exciting until he sees the return address on the card Sam hands to him.

The card is generic, a tree covered in snow in the forest with a red bird. And the message inside is passive aggressive, “Even if you say Happy Holidays now, I want you to have a merry Christmas. Love, Mom.” But it’s the first he’s heard from her in over a year. As Dean says when he holds Cas and pushes away his tears, it’s a start.

Later that night, curled together in the dark, Dean presses a kiss to Cas’s forehead.

“Can’t believe all that college talk about Sammy,” Dean says quietly. “Kinda nuts.”

“Are you worried about him going out of state?” Cas asks, sensing the worry radiating from Dean.

“Yeah. If he did…how would you feel about following him?” Dean asks.

Cas considers it. They have friends here, and he’s very attached to the work he’s doing with the new homeless outreach organization with Chuck and Rick. He sees Lee and Flor quite often, especially since they started dating, much to everyone’s shock. His family is here too, which is a blessing and a curse. And there’s Bobby of course, who is as much a part of his family now as Dean and Sam. Some other city could be nice, where they don’t have to worry as much about holding hands in the street. They took their first ever family vacation to San Francisco over the summer and just the freedom had been amazing.

“It would be hard, and scary, but if I’m with you…I know we can make it work,” Cas says finally.

“I know you want to buy another house,” Dean says. He doesn’t sound angry about it for once. “And I’ve been a jerk about it. But the real reason I’m scared is tying us down here if Sammy’s gonna be gone.”

“You should have just said that,” Cas replies, elbowing him. “We don’t even know where Sam wants to go, though.”

“I know…I just…I like having everyone under one roof.”

“Even if we don’t own the roof,” Cas replies with a smile.

“If we did, you know, get a house, I’d want it to be, you know…Ours. Not just yours.”

Cas raises an eyebrow. “Really? That’s what I would want to. But it’s more complex with mortgages with two buyers and credit and—”

“Not if we’re married, right?”

Cas’s heart stops and he sits up in bed. “What?”

“Uhhhh…”

“Dean, did you just accidentally ask me to marry you?”

“No! We’re just discussing!” Dean squeaks. “I did not…I haven’t…I know you’re iffy on the marriage thing after all the other crap and—”

“Dean, shut up, of course I want to marry you,” Cas sighs.

“Really?” Even in the dim light Dean’s grin is like the sun coming out.

“There’s no one else I want to be with in my life,” Cas whispers. “Or the next life.”

“Cool,” Dean replies. Cas rolls his eyes and kisses him. It’s a long kiss, a prelude to something more passionate. Everything about the moment makes Cas’s heart ache with love and joy. “I’m gonna do it right though. Like officially. Now I know what to get you for Christmas,” Dean murmurs against Cas’s skin. “Act surprised.”

“Okay. I will.”

After they make love, Dean is the first asleep and Cas finds himself staring out the window into the snowy night.

Sometimes he’s still afraid. Sometimes he wakes up in cold sweats and worries it’s all a dream or that God will still condemn his soul. But on those nights he pulls the man he loves closer, breathes in his warmth. And he is less afraid.

Someone to be less afraid with. Someone to make life better, not perfect. That’s love, he thinks. And he thanks God each day he has it.

“Love you,” he whispers into Dean’s shoulder as he spoons him.

“Love you too,” Dean mumbles back.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not PROMISING, but there may be a few more "Loose Ends" that get tied up in this work, so...there we go..


End file.
